Utility meters, such as water meters, are often located in below-ground pits. This kind of meter-pit installation is commonly used in geographic regions that are not typically subjected to freezing conditions and in which a majority of homes are generally not constructed on full-slab foundations. Thus, there is no basement or access space for mounting a water meter within the home.
Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) systems generally include electronic components that require some use of cables and other connectors to link the various components of the system in a meter pit. For example, a meter located at the bottom of a pit may be connected to an encoder that converts consumption data collected by the meter to a signal that is then conveyed by cable to an antenna mounted on the lid at the top of the pit. The antenna transmits the meter data in the form of a radio frequency (RF) signal to other devices used to collect and record consumption data.
A common feature of AMR systems in meter pit environments is the attachment of antenna-related components to the lid of the meter pit. This arrangement, however, when combined with the use of cables within the pit, makes it possible for removal of the lid to break the connections between components in the antenna system. For example, when components are mounted to the pit lid and connected by cables to a utility meter at the bottom of the pit, the removal of the lid exerts tension on the cables. As the lid is moved farther away from the pit, as is likely to happen when the components are accessed by service personnel, the tension on the cables may increase to the point of breakage.
The risk of overstraining the cables is increased by the awkwardness of handling a meter-pit lid. Typical pit lids are made of cast iron and may be up to several inches thick. The entire lid can range from one to three feet in diameter. Thus, a pit lid may easily range from 22-90 lbs and its removal by several service personnel may result in sudden movements that put excessive strain on AMR system components.
One known connector currently used in these types of environments is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,082 to Karsten et al. While the Karsten et al. patent teaches an electrical connector for used in “wet” environments, the electrical connector suffers from the disadvantage of being permanently connected when assembled such that disassembly requires the use of a tool to fracture a locking component of the electrical connector. This locking component must then be replaced with a new locking component in order to complete the connection.
Another connector is disclosed in co-pending U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,193 to the assignees of the present invention. The disclosed electrical connector assembly includes a receptacle connector member and a plug connector member that interface to provide a dual radial seal substantially eliminating the possibility of moisture and water intrusion. When connected, the electrical connector comprises dual radial seals, one to prevent dirt and contaminant infiltration, the second to prevent moisture or water intrusion.
Although such connectors are designed to minimize certain problems presented by meter-pit environments, there remains a need for connectors that provide overstress protection for the cables and system components typically disposed in a meter pit.